Automatic closure holding device



Jan. 24, 1939. A. J. WILLIAMS AUTOMATIC CLOSURE HOLDING DEVICE Filed June l0, 1938 7 Aus Cir? Josph Williams.-

ATTO R N EYS Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CLOSURE HOLDING DEVICE Austin J. Williams, Austin, Tex.

Application June 10, 1938, Serial No. 213,046 1 Claim. (01. 292-274) This invention relates to closure holding devices, and its general object is to provide a device in the nature of a door stop, that is primarily designed for use with swinging doors, gates and the like, to automatically latch and hold the same in open position, when swung accordingly, and the device includes a handle for releasing the closure with respect to the latching means, as well as for znoving the closure to its open and closed posi- A further object is to provide a device of the character set forth, that is easy to apply, simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efiicient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawingwherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating my holding devices applied for use with a pair of swinging doors of the type generally used with a garage or the like.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of Figure 1, showing the positions of the parts in full lines when the door is closed and in dotted lines when the door is opened.

Figure Bis a sectional view taken approximately on line 3--3 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device.

Figure 5 is a view partly in section illustrating the handle in elevation and its connection to the device.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Figure 1, it will be noted that I have illustrated a. pair of my closure holding devices in use, and applied to swinging doors of the type generally employed for a garage or the like, but it will of course be understood that the device can be used with any type of closure including a gate or the like.

The device includes an attaching plate or bar of elongated angle formation to provide a vertical portion having openings therein to receive screws or like means for securing the plate to a door or the like, as best shown in'Figure l, and a horizontal portion 2 having a slot 3 extending longitudinally therein but terminatinginwardly of its ends, as best shown in Figure 4.

The device also includes an attaching bracket 4 to be secured to the frame of the door, and the bracket 4 in the form as shown includes a pair of spaced parallel apertured ears 5 having one end of a lever 6 pivotally mounted between the same, while its opposite end has spaced therefrom and secured thereto a keeper block 1, through the instrumentality of a headed pin 8 which extends through the slot 3, so that the horizontal portion is received between the block and lever, with the block slidably mounted on the upper surface of the horizontal portion, as best shown in Figure 3.

While the bracket 4 is shown as being of a type that includes spaced parallel ears for pivotally receiving the lever 6, other types of brackets may be employed, and the bracket may be merely a piece of angle iron having a vertical portion secured to the frame and with the lever pivotally secured to the horizontal portion.

The handle is indicated by the reference numeral 9 and is shown as being formed from. a single piece of rod like material bent at right angles to provide a shank Ill and a hand gripping portion I, the latter being folded upon itself as clearly shown in Figure 5. The shank I0 is disposed through the closure or door, as shown in Figure 2, and includes a reduced portion [2 providing a shoulder engaged with the vertical portion of the attaching bracket I, as shown in Figure 5. The reduced portion extends through an opening arranged adjacent one end of the vertical portion of the attaching plate, and terminates in a square cornered portion l3 that has mounted thereon one end of a latch arm M, to be operated by the handle, as will be apparent. The latch arm- I4 is normally arranged parallel with the slotted portion of the attaching plate and its opposite end is curved to provide a cam surface l5 that extends into a shoulder l6 formed by a recess I! in the lower surface of the arm, as best shown in Figure 3. The latch arm is secured to the square cornered portion l3 by a vice is applied to a door and its frame, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the door is swung to open position, the keeper block I will slide on the horizontal portion of the attaching plate to engage the cam surface l5 of the latch arm, thereby lifting the latch arm against the action of gravity, and further movement of the door will dispose the keeper block within the recess of the latch arm for engagement with the shoulder thereof, so that the door will be held in open position. When it is desired to close the door, the keeper block is released from the latch arm by the handle, as will be apparent, and it will be obvious that the handle likewise provides means for opening and closing the door.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

An automatic holding device for a swinging closure, comprising an elongated angle plate including a vertical portion for attachment to the closure and a horizontal portion having a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a bracket for at tachment to the door frame, a lever having one end pivoted to the bracket, a keeper slidably mounted on the horizontal portion, means extending through the Slot to be guided thereby and connecting the keeper to the opposite end of the lever, a latch arm having a recess therein providing a shoulder, a handle including a shank having the latch arm detachably secured thereto and mounted through the vertical portion for pivotal movement and said latch arm having a cam surface for disposal in the path of the keeper for the latter to operate the latch arm upon opening the door for movement of the keeper into the recess to engage the shoulder for holding the closure in open position.

AUSTIN J. WILLIAMS. 

